Rocco Lampone
'''Rocco Lampone' was one of Michael Corleone's caporegimes. Biography Once a soldier who was sent home from the front with a Purple Heart after having his leg crippled due to a shattered kneecap in 1943, Lampone began his career in organized crime in Peter Clemenza's regime, having been hired due to a shortage of young men. He was initially used as Clemenza's contact in the black-market garment centre, as well as working with Government officials who provided food stamps during the war. His success in these fields led Lampone to become a 'trouble-shooter' for the family. He gained further merit by assisting in the rescue of Tom Hagen, the family consigliere. Shortly after, he "made his bones" assassinating the treacherous Paulie Gatto, after Clemenza selected him out to be made in Gatto's place. Rocco's Rise .]] He was well trusted by Michael, who hired him to build a secret regime in case of emergency, and in preparation for Michael's ascension to the role of Don. The creation of this regime did not go unnoticed, as Tom Hagen discovered this operation soon after, realising that he was being phased out. Rocco also acted as chaffeur for the elderly Vito Corleone, a role also previously filled by Paulie Gatto. Rocco acted as a reserve capo during the five families war,ordering the deaths of Luigi Fusco, Michael Costa, Kelly Berry and Giovanni Armanno.These deaths serves crippling blows to the others families,and helped further Lampone's career,which had been somewhat crippled after his gambling obsession had left him in debt to Aldo Trapani and several other junior members of the family. As such, he had been banned from family boxing clubs for his own safety. The Move to Nevada He and and Aldo Trapani also shot Phillip Tattaglia at the St. Sebastian Hotel, after leading a search from the Embassy Club in Brooklyn. He later attend Trapani's initiation as Don, along with Dominic Corleone and Jimmy DeNunzio. Rocco subsequently becomes caporegime to Michael Corleone after the family's move to Nevada and the betrayal of Salvatore Tessio, and arranges security for the Lake Tahoe compound; he is, however, unable to prevent the attempted assassination of Michael by two mobsters hired by his rival Hyman Roth and allowed in by unwitting fellow conspirator Fredo Corleone. Death .]] When the time comes to take revenge on Roth, it is Rocco who opines that assassinating him would be "difficult, not impossible", and is personally entrusted with the hit, a decision seen as somewhat questionable, given the almost suicidal nature of the mission. Disguised as a reporter, Rocco successfully approaches Roth at Miami International Airport and shoots him, but despite the ensuing panic and confusion, he is in turn shot by a police officer whilst fleeing the scene. Personality and traits A tough and no-nonsense man of few words, Lampone has been described as 'not the sharpest tool in the shed, but certainly the bluntest' and a ruthless and detached operator. Behind the scenes *In the drafts for The Godfather Part III Rocco was included as a character, indicating that his shooting at the airport was intended to only wound him. Notes and references Lampone Category: Corleones Category:Deceased